Welcome to futurephotographer.com, which is dedicated to those who truly want to learn about digital photography.

Obtaining this skill will take some study and practical experience.  With time, you should be able to answer these questions, among others…

How do you compose a photograph?  How would you draw attention to the subject of your photo?  Can you catch the right angle?  How about coordinating color?

How do you get quality lighting?  Would you use natural or artificial light?  Some options would include reflectors, diffusers, flash, soft boxes, and umbrellas.  Which is right for your particular situation?

Which exposure mode would you use?  There are some options in which the camera will take care of one aspect of compensation: shutter priority and aperture priority.  There is also a ‘program’ mode in which the camera will fully take care of exposure for you.  Finally, you can set the camera to full manual mode.  As the name suggests, manual puts you fully in the driver’s seat.  Which option is best for you?  Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

What are the differences between RAW and JPEG formats?  Why does that matter to you?

Do you have an interest in portraits?  If so, you’ll need to develop the skill to quickly position your clients to make them look their best.  So how would you pose someone?  What about a group?  A family?

Okay, all those questions might seem a bit much, but don’t feel intimidated.  As much as there is to learn about photography, there is no reason at all why you can’t gain full proficiency; if you are willing to put the time and effort into learning and putting your new found knowledge into practice.  And once you’ve obtained that skill, you’ll dramatically stand out from many others that call themselves photographers.

There are unfortunately a lot of people who depend on technology to the exclusion of any real skill.  They let the camera take care of focusing and exposure for them.  They don’t have a solid grasp of composition.  Without good compositional skills, you won’t be able to get the most from your camera.

What’s more, your camera isn’t capable of the same level of creativity that you are.  Photography is a form of art, and art is all about creativity; particularly when you start to go into a number of different specializations.  What kind of photography are you interested in?

Portraits?

Landscapes?

Special effects?

Weddings?

Stock photography?

Sports?

Wildlife?

The list goes on, but there are some constants each item listed.  You’ll first need to develop yourself in some fundamental technique.  Secondly, you need to understand a little about having the right tools.  What kind of lens would you use?  When is a tripod appropriate?  Is your camera’s flash sufficient?  How do you make use of natural lighting for portraits?

Finally, you need to understand how to post process the images.

With today’s technology, there are so many things you can do with photos, if you know what you are doing.  You can add or enrich color, you can smooth out skin, you can correct flaws; there are too many possibilities to list here.  The trick is not only to know what to do, but when to stop.

And of course, even editing programs should never take the place of skillful use of the camera.  That means learning, and doing.  By taking what you learn here and practicing regularly, you can stand head and shoulders above others around you!

Anyway, let’s get started with digital photography exposure basics!  Also be sure to check out our blog.